The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-01-30
AN UNBLUSHING FRAUD.
A Very FRanck Professor Brings to
Light q Wonderful Coincidence.

Professor Harry C. Franck. who
passed chequered and meteoric exis
tence in Salt Lake for several weeks
and only drew his visit to close at the
earnest solicitation of nearly every one
who knew him-has of late flashed
athwart the horizon of Ogden's intel
lectual sky. He does not seem to have
dszzled the inhabitants of that city of
hopes deferred to any marked extent,
though owing to habit its otherwise
clever writers have contracted of gloss
ing over the truth SO as to 'let failures
down easy" we are unable to divine
exactly how terrific fzzle the PRO
lessor" did make with his late venture.
Franck made his virgin bow TO the
Salt Lake public through the medium
or an advertisement IN THE HERALD,
wherein he announced that he taught
acting and built voices. He privately
q 'sured these with whom his advertise
m cot brought him in contact, that ne
Dad left the stage to give the public the
advantage of his system of building
nv q % SISAh W A~iNlA WIG R0bAAN "N1
q 'Ga!ly hungeriug and thirsting for.
re was last from Los Angeles where
the public mourning over his departure
almost took the form of a holiday.
After several days spent in 'Whooping
up the voice blu lding scheme,
and finding that the supply of
suckers in Salt Lake was amazingly
small at this season of the year
the "pro lessor" changed his tack
and introduced himself to the
amateur sJciety known as the Home
Dramatic Club, to whom he represented
that he was playwright; that he had
IN his possession a drama entitled
Guilty, which Mr.. D. II. Harkins
offered him So 500 for, but which offer
he had refused with scOTn, intending to
keep the 'ay for himself and to para
lyze the inhabitants of Fort Benton and |
Eodunk with his hisrionic display
whenever his voice-bu lding mis-
sian fattened out 1t needed but
one glance by the amateurs to tell |
them that here was a case of crushed |
in the most violent and |
dangerous form, but the persistency |
with which he urged tn merits of his |
play, and the gall with which he re-
oeated the story of Harkins' So $50 bid,
inally induced the amateurs to
lend him a hearing, on the bare
possibility that he might have a manu-
script in his possession which it would
De worth their while to acquire So a
lime was set, and one memorable even
ng, few weeks back, surrounded by
critical circle of ladies and gentlemen,
Who had disported before the public IN
from Article AZ to the
i |
Professor modestly arose,
oughed thrice, pulled manuscript
rom his pocket, and began the peruSal
written when I was a mere youth" he
land that was some time
go; as you can plainly see I'm no
hicken." This coruscating fash OF
was thrown off to cause a I
ipple at the start-to place author and
steiner, as it were. en- rapport
rom the beginning. 1t was met
owevsri with an icy silence I
0 intense it could almost have 9
cen cut-and after another slight ,
ough, the professor commenced the
eading OF Guilty. {
He sailed glibly along to the middle |
f the first act, when there began to be
tares and expressions of wonderment
N the part of his hearers. AS charae-
er after character was introduced, the {
increa ed and whispers
eean to be heard behind fans, and T
hins began to be kicked under tables. r
It the conclusion of the first act, one
the listeners arose and slipped unob-
erved from the room. The first act ;
-es concluded, aud the second was
lunged well into, when the gentleman Z.
no had left as quietly returned. I'm =
er his arm he had a package of play =
Ooks, and as the professor" charged q
way at his -alliunconscious of s
hat was transporting under his very
play books were distributed '
uietly to half a dozen of the :
steners who sat in the more secluded !
1rners of the room. Then all the :
,ares, whispers and expressions of I
onderment were explained. The /
Utility written by Professor" Franck =
hen mere youth was a published :
lay copies of which the amateur So :
iety had had in its possession for three :
ears past, the real title A Life Chase, :
he author John Oxenford, the trans
ltor of the Two Orphans. The only r
hange the mere youth" had made
as in laying the action in New York 3
lstead of France, and Americanizing ,
Il the names of the characters. Every E
st. every scene and every idea was y
ientical: here and there words and +
mes had been transposed, but speech
fter speech was compared by those
no held the books, as the professor"
cad on, and not a hairs difference
as there between the two. 1t
as cruel. perhaps, but the
Professor" was allowed to go on to